Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbelriapu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Sunbelriapu’, characterized by its outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching and flowering plant habit; long flowering period; and pink-colored flowers with red-colored centers and venation.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNBELRIAPU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunbelriapu’.

The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new uniform Calibrachoa cultivars with attractive and unique flower coloration.

The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in April, 2003 of two unnamed proprietary selections of Calbrachoa sp., not patented. The cultivar Sunbelriapu was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since September, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Sunbelriapu has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunbelriapu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunbelriapu’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching and flowering plant habit.     -   4. Long flowering period.     -   5. Pink-colored flowers with red-colored centers and venation.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are not as trailing as plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have narrower leaves than         plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger leaves than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants         of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Sunbel-Apu, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,385. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Sunbel-Apu differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were shorter and had shorter         internodes than plants of the cultivar Sunbel-Apu.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more freely flowering than         plants of the cultivar Sunbel-Apu.     -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had larger flowers than plants         of the cultivar Sunbel-Apu.     -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Sunbel-Apu         differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Sunbel-Apu         had yellowish pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Calibrachoa, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunbelriapu’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Sunbelriapu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, under commercial practice during the late spring and summer in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants had been growing for about four months when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. cultivar Sunbelriapu. -   Parentage:

Female, or seed, parent. —Unnamed proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp., not patented.

-   -   -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Calibrachoa. sp., not patented.

-   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three weeks at             20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, fleshy; light brown in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.

-   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Outwardly spreading plant habit;             mounding. Freely branching with lateral branches potentially             forming at every node; pinching enhances lateral branch             development. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 12.3 cm.         -   Pant diameter.—About 34 cm.

-   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 16.8 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 1.2 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 8 mm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Upright to outward.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 144A.

-   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 6 mm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptic.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 138A.             Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 144B. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close             to 137C; venation, close to 144B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1.7 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.

-   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from upper leaf axils. Freely flowering habit with             usually about two open flowers per lateral branch. Flowers             face upright or outwardly. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering, season.—Plants of the new Calibrachoa             initiate and develop flowers about three to four weeks after             planting. Long flowering period; flowering commences             naturally during the spring and plants flower continuously             throughout the summer until late autumn in Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant. Flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.9 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 2.9 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 7 mm.         -   Tube length.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Tube diameter.—About 1.5 mm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Cylindrical. Length: About 2 cm.             Diameter: About 4.8 mm. Color: Close to 37C.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 1.1 cm. Petal width: About 1.3 cm. Petal shape:             Spatulate. Petal apex: Rounded with truncate tendencies.             Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Throat texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color: Petal, when             opening, upper surface: Close to 49A; towards the throat,             close to 46A; venation, close to 42B. Petal, when opening,             lower surface: Close to 36A; venation, close to N34C. Petal,             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 49C; towards the             throat, close to 46B; venation, close to N34C; color             becoming closer to 27A with development. Petal, fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 69D; venation, close to 61B.             Throat: Close to 12A. Tube: Close to 12C; venation, close to             N200A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About 6.7             mm to 10 mm. Sepal width: About 2.8 mm. Sepal shape:             Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal             texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,             immature and mature, upper surface: Close to 137C. Color,             immature and mature, lower surface: Close to 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Angle: Upright to outward. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Five per             flower. Stamen length: About 8.2 mm to 11.9 mm. Anther             shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 1.3 mm by 1.3 mm.             Anther color: Close to 13C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: Close to 12B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.             Pistil length: About 1.1 cm. Style color: Close to 144D.             Stigma shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close             to 144B. Ovary color: Close to 144B.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa.

-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. about 35° C.

-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not     been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to     Calibrachoa. 

1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbelriapu’ as illustrated and described. 